Review of The Vanished
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Erin Dydek
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Review of The Vanished
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Vanished" by Pejay Bradley.]
When Kim Embon was born into a Korean royal family, he was unaware of the political turmoil plaguing his native land. His devoted mother protected the innocent child and raised him in an open-minded manner that contradicted the strict cultural rules of the upper-class society around him. But as the young boy becomes a man, Embon will have to face the reality of what freedom and independence from Japanese oppression truly means. His education will open his eyes to the problems Koreans face from foreign oppressors. He'll also have to wake up to the truth about the outdated traditions of his Korean ancestors. In a world where the cultural norms are changing, and his innocence is vanishing, how will Embon find purpose and meaning for his life?
The Vanished is a historical fiction novel that explores Japanese-occupied Korea in the early 20th century. I loved how Pejay Bradley used multiple character perspectives to relate the information to the reader. From Embon's mother, the reader learns of the devastating situation of being an honorable wife abandoned by a lazy and neglectful husband. I felt the depth of her pain as she suffered the injustices of society and could find no way out. I also sympathized with the other unfairly treated women of Korean culture who could not speak up for themselves as they endured verbal abuse from ungrateful husbands and in-laws. Yet, despite these conditions, there were glimpses of forward-moving progress from men like Embon's grandfather and other distinguished gentlemen who realized that there were better ways to co-exist with their wives and daughters.
Embon's perspective provided powerful insight into the inner conflict of a young man growing up in this time of political division and revolutionary thinking. I was pulled further into the story by his character growth, the frustrations he endured, and the tragedies he witnessed. The author significantly increased my knowledge and empathy for the Korean people's turmoil during this era as I observed the various struggles depicted throughout her writing.
I felt like it took a few chapters for me to connect with the narrative, but soon I was fully engaged in Bradley's story and could not put this book down. The ending was not quite what I expected, but I was satisfied with it nonetheless. I only noticed a few minor errors in this well-edited novel, and I found no reason to reduce the rating. Therefore, I gladly give The Vanished four out of four stars.
This book would be an excellent choice for readers curious about Korean history and the early events leading up to World War II from a Korean perspective. This book would also be a fantastic read for those who enjoy multiple character viewpoints. There was no foul language or explicit sexual content, so I recommend this educational read to mature teens and adults who appreciate historical fiction novels.
******
The Vanished
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
When Kim Embon was born into a Korean royal family, he was unaware of the political turmoil plaguing his native land. His devoted mother protected the innocent child and raised him in an open-minded manner that contradicted the strict cultural rules of the upper-class society around him. But as the young boy becomes a man, Embon will have to face the reality of what freedom and independence from Japanese oppression truly means. His education will open his eyes to the problems Koreans face from foreign oppressors. He'll also have to wake up to the truth about the outdated traditions of his Korean ancestors. In a world where the cultural norms are changing, and his innocence is vanishing, how will Embon find purpose and meaning for his life?
The Vanished is a historical fiction novel that explores Japanese-occupied Korea in the early 20th century. I loved how Pejay Bradley used multiple character perspectives to relate the information to the reader. From Embon's mother, the reader learns of the devastating situation of being an honorable wife abandoned by a lazy and neglectful husband. I felt the depth of her pain as she suffered the injustices of society and could find no way out. I also sympathized with the other unfairly treated women of Korean culture who could not speak up for themselves as they endured verbal abuse from ungrateful husbands and in-laws. Yet, despite these conditions, there were glimpses of forward-moving progress from men like Embon's grandfather and other distinguished gentlemen who realized that there were better ways to co-exist with their wives and daughters.
Embon's perspective provided powerful insight into the inner conflict of a young man growing up in this time of political division and revolutionary thinking. I was pulled further into the story by his character growth, the frustrations he endured, and the tragedies he witnessed. The author significantly increased my knowledge and empathy for the Korean people's turmoil during this era as I observed the various struggles depicted throughout her writing.
I felt like it took a few chapters for me to connect with the narrative, but soon I was fully engaged in Bradley's story and could not put this book down. The ending was not quite what I expected, but I was satisfied with it nonetheless. I only noticed a few minor errors in this well-edited novel, and I found no reason to reduce the rating. Therefore, I gladly give The Vanished four out of four stars.
This book would be an excellent choice for readers curious about Korean history and the early events leading up to World War II from a Korean perspective. This book would also be a fantastic read for those who enjoy multiple character viewpoints. There was no foul language or explicit sexual content, so I recommend this educational read to mature teens and adults who appreciate historical fiction novels.
******
The Vanished
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Sylvia’s Garden by Diana Yu
